A vigil for the victims of Sunday morning's terror attack in Orlando is set to be held tonight in Boystown at the intersection of Halsted and Roscoe Streets. The rampage took place at Pulse, a popular gay nightclub in the Florida city, and killed 50 people while injuring another 53, making it the deadliest shooting spree in the history of the country.
Tonight's vigil is being organized by Chicago Survivors, a nonprofit group that helps families affected by homicides in Chicago. The event will kick off at 7pm in the center of the neighborhood.
President Barack Obama addressed the attack this afternoon, calling it an "act of terror."
In a statement, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "On behalf of the City of Chicago, Amy and I send our deepest condolences to the friends and family members of those who were lost. June is a time when all Chicagoans and all Americans proudly celebrate the contributions of our LGBT community."
Gay Pride celebrations continued across the country this weekend, including events in Los Angeles and Milwaukee. Next weekend, Chicago's Gay Pride festivities kick off, with the annual Pride Parade occuring the following Sunday. Last week, the Chicago Pride Parade announced that it would be beefing up security by hiring 160 off-duty police officers for the event, up from 90 last year.
Whether or not you attend tonight's vigil, consider contacting your congressman and urging them to push for sensible gun control reform that could help prevent the kind of attacks that took place in Orlando.
You can find a comprehensive list of events in association with the victims of the Orlando attack at WeAreOrlando.org.